Dust Storm Over Oman

Over the last couple of weeks Oman, and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula, has been blanketed by massive dust storms. Visibility has been reduced to meters and Flights cancelled. Seeing the dust from the Ground is one thing, from Space is another – and thanks to NASA here is that perspective – a wall of Dust that looks like an extra from The Mummy film.

Dust 2 April 2015 over Oman and Arabia – c NASA

Bottom right in the dark crescent is Salalah, central right is the dark salt flat of Umm As Samin and way up at the top right is Qushm Island. The dust front is about 1,700kilometers long. Apparently these dust storms maintain the fertility of an otherwise sterile Arabian Gulf, as they drop minerals into the sea!